Mahri Nui (Afterverse)
Mahri Nui is a matoran city that sank into the Voya Nui Bay some time after the Great Cataclysm. History Mahri Nui was built on the coast of Voya Nui shortly after the Great Cataclysm. Originally a series of wooden huts supported by underwater framework and dried magma formations, it quickly became the "capital" of Voya Nui, the center of trade and commerce for the entire island. Soon buildings constructed of stone and metals were erected, and plans were made to move the entire population of Voya Nui into the safety of the city. However, several months before the mass immigration directive began, an earthquake shook the city loose and it slid into the bay, leaving nothing more than a few huts on the beach. Those living on Voya Nui believed those in the city when in sunk to be dead, and took it as a sign that the Great Spirit had turned his back on them. Ever full moon, they drop parcels of supplies into the bay to honor the matoran lost there. However, the city was not lost. It had simply sunk down to the bottom of the bay, where it stirred up the airweed and created several large Air Domes around itself. While many matoran died, several hundred matoran survived the plunge. These survivors began to formulate plans to return to the island, but no matoran was able to swim all the way to the surface. Left with no alternative, they began to rebuild themselves on the sea floor. Rock Bottom Several years later, the population of Mahri Nui had been reduced to just over a hundred. Predators and mutagenic seawater had thinned their numbers over the years, but they had stabilized themselves and set up a society in which they could survive. Then vampire squid from the Black Water attacked the sentry Kyrehx, nearly killing her. The Captain of the Sentinels and a le-matoran inventor lead an expedition to discover what had driven the squid from their natural habitat. To their surprise, they found a toa of ice floating in the middle of the Black Water. Just after they pulled him into their submersible they were attacked by a mutated Kalmah, and lost one of their number to the beast. They escaped and returned to the city to warn the matoran of their findings. Meanwhile, the sentry Lemiddus spotted the kanohi Ignika floating down from the surface and snatched it. The mask reacted violently and tried to escape, but Lemiddus triumphed and carried it back to the city, but not before it could touch a microscopic crustacean creature and begin to transform it into a temporary guardian. Lemiddus took the mask to Idris, the second in command of the Sentinels, where he began to act erratically and, while fleeing the scene, accidentally killed Kyros, the temporary head of the city. Lemiddus ran to Defilak's workshop to find something to destroy the mask, frightened by the power it held. He was confronted by Kyros, who had been revived and desired the mask for its power. The two began to scuffle but were interrupted by the return of Dekar and Defilak's team. Kyros murdered Lemiddus and fled from the city. By this point the microscopic creature had grown into a massive beast, intent on finding the mask. Kyrehx rallied the Sentinels to mount a defense. They fought a losing battle against the creature before retreating to the safety of the Air Domes. Two matoran stayed behind to distract the creature. When one was decapitated by the beast, Idris fell into a rage and charged the beast. The toa from the Black Water intervened, dueling with the beast while Idris concocted a plan to kill it. But when the time came, she couldn't bring herself to slay the beast. The toa made the decision for her and used a kanohi Komau to force her to pull the trigger. He carried her oxygen starved body back to the city, where the village healer treated her. Hellbound To be written... Landscape City Located at the base of the giant natural pillar of stone known as the Cord, Mahri Nui is a shadow of the city it once was. The huts are simple and ragged, built after the plunge into the Bay. Any buildings more substantial are ones that survived the sinking to various degrees, from almost complete destruction to relatively unaffected, are reserved for official use, with the exception of Defilak's warehouse, which was given to him as a gift after he restored power to the ancient generator that had not been completely destroyed. The dominant structure in the city is the Fortress, a massive stone structure containing all the vital components of the city: the Council Chamber, the Hall of Gifts, and the Armory. The Fortress is the most structurally sound building in Mahri Nui, though Defilak's warehouse comes in a close second. It is also the most defensible structure in the city. The entire city is covered by Air Domes, giant bubbles that were created when it crashed into the Fields of Airweed. They are replenished every day during the hour-long harvest of the hydruka. The Domes have no resistance, allowing matter to pass through their membranes with ease. Fields of Airweed A vast field of an aquatic weed with the special property that it produces oxygen in large amounts. The land is very flat and empty, reminiscent of a plain on land. The only creatures that inhabit this area naturally are microscopic and small fish and their slightly larger predators. Every day at the same hour, a few Matoran take a herd of Hydruka out into the fields to harvest air to replenish the Air Domes. This incredibly important work is also very dangerous, and many matoran have vanished without a trace from the field. The Black Water A mysterious u-shaped crater that surrounds the city, little is known about the Black Water and what lies within it. The name comes from the pitch black color of the water within, the reason for the lack of knowledge. Before Dekar and Defilak's expedition no Matoran had ever returned from there, and for this reason the matoran think of it as crawling with unspeakable monsters, a hellish sort of place. The only known inhabitants of the Black Water are the vampire squid, a species of cephalopods that suck the life energies out of their victims. They generally don't stray far from the crater, but the presence of Kalmah has forced them to move to the upper levels of the Black Water to find food and escape being devoured. It is also believed that takea sharks might use the Black Water as a place of rest between hunts. Inhabitants Appearances *''Rock Bottom'' (First appearance) *''Black Water'' *''Hellbound'' (Work in progress) Category:Afterverse